Combined Autism & ADHD Assessments (5-17 years old)

We are delighted to offer a combined Autism and ADHD assessment; a comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessment for ADHD and Autism delivered by our skilled multi-disciplinary team including Psychiatry, Speech and Language Therapy and Psychology. We are able to offer this comprehensive assessment for children and young people aged 5-17 years. Read more about our clinical team

PLEASE NOTE WE HAVE A WAITING LIST OF APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS FOR CHILD COMBINED ASSESSMENTS.

A screening consultation with one of our Clinical Psychologists can be helpful if you feel unsure whether your child might need a full neurodevelopmental assessment, or if you feel unsure which assessment may be best suited. Our screening consultation is one hour long and can be offered in person or remotely. During the appointment our Clinical Psychologist will carry out a structured clinical interview, in line with best practice guidelines, to assess mental health and neurodiversity. Alongside the clinical interview, our clinicians incorporate relevant validated clinical tools which are suited to individual clinical needs, for example to screen for autism, ADHD and mental health difficulties. At the end of the appointment, our clinician will then make personalised recommendations, including the next best steps for your child.

All recommendations will be based on clinical needs and may include:

• Recommending a neurodevelopmental assessment i.e. an autism, ADHD or combined assessment
• Recommending psychological therapy to address mental health difficulties
• Recommending a psychiatry consultation to address mental health difficulties

If you are happy to proceed with our clinician’s recommendations, the relevant internal referral can be arranged.  Our clinician will summarise the consultation in a letter which can be sent to your child’s GP.

Stage 1: Initial Consultation

At the initial appointment, you and your child or young person will meet with one of our Consultant Psychiatrists or Specialty Doctors for a Comprehensive Clinical Assessment. This will include gathering clinical information from parents/carers and observing the young person within the clinic setting. You will discuss the difficulties your child experiences both at home and in school and investigate any co-existing conditions that may be present. You will be provided with the SNAP-IV Comprehensive Behaviour Rating Scales and a Developmental History questionnaire to complete. Our team will contact your child’s school to gather detailed educational information and ask that staff who know your child well also complete the SNAP-IV.

Stage 2: In-depth Assessment

Our comprehensive and multidimensional assessment involves assessment across a range of areas including impact on school, home and social functioning.

Developmental History – Parents only Appointment

As parents/carers, you will meet with a member of our team to complete a detailed developmental history interview.  This is a standardised interview which includes in-depth questioning relating to your child’s early years and developmental history. It is a gold standard assessment tool and is recommended in current national guidelines.

ADOS-2 Child Only Appointment

Your child or young person will attend the practice to complete the ADOS-2 assessment for Autism. This is a semi structured, standardised assessment which is designed to identify behaviours that are typically related to a diagnosis of Autism. This is a gold standard instrument recommended in current national guidelines. This play-based observational assessment involves your child playing with specific toys and undertaking various age-appropriate tasks with a member of the team whilst their interaction is being observed by another team member.

Stage 3: Feedback Appointment

Following the completion of the assessment process, the team meet to gather all of the information together and discuss the young person’s assessment. The information is mapped onto the DSM-5 criteria for Autism and ADHD and a decision is reached regarding diagnosis.  If all information is available, the team would hope to feedback to you within 6 – 8 weeks of the clinic assessment.

You and your child will attend a feedback appointment with the Consultant Psychiatrists or Specialty Doctor where the results of the assessment will be shared with you. If a formal diagnosis is given and medication is indicated, you will be provided with detailed post-diagnostic information and resources and have time to consider whether you wish to proceed. Recommendations will also be made for psychosocial and behavioural interventions where appropriate.

A comprehensive report will be sent out to you and your child’s GP and school (with your permission) approximately 6 – 8 weeks after your feedback appointment.

Please note that if further appointments are required out with the full assessment that there will be additional charges for these appointments.

We do at times have a waiting list for our assessments and as such require a £200 deposit to secure a place on the waiting list.  The £200 is non-refundable and will be deducted from the assessment cost once the assessment is booked.